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Welcome back to another CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Tree and Agroforestry (FTA) newsletter! In this edition, we are showcasing reforestation and forest restoration through the expansion of market-based agroforestry in Indonesia.

We are also pleased to introduce the new “Innovative finance for sustainable landscapes” series from FTA, Tropenbos International (TBI) and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), with the first two interviews discussing finance and investment in sustainable forestry and farming for smallholders, as well as applying sustainable finance experience at a landscape level.

FTA has been present at many important events of late, from my presentation at the World Rubber Summit to the gender equality and social inclusion team’s contributions at Seeds of Change. We are also looking forward to many FTA scientists participating in the upcoming World Congress on Agroforestry next month.

Read on for more about these stories and events, plus the latest FTA publications and resources.

Vincent Gitz

FTA Director

Special feature

What’s good for business is good for forests in Indonesia

In success stories of reforestation and forest restoration, local communities are often cast as the heroes of sustainable forestry, while private sector businesses are portrayed as villains. But what if that’s not the whole story? The Kanoppi project, which has now entered its second phase, concentrates on the expansion of market-based agroforestry and the development of integrated landscape management in the poorest provinces of eastern Indonesia and the country’s most densely-populated island of Java. Kanoppi combines the expertise and experience of CIFOR and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) scientists, making for a strong response to development and sustainability challenges in forested landscapes – among the many reasons the two institutions recently announced a merger.

News

Gender equality in agricultural development starts with understanding complexity

The recent Seeds of Change conference in Canberra, Australia, brought together researchers and practitioners from around the globe. Three FTA presenters showcased studies that emphasized the importance of understanding complex gender relations for designing successful policies and interventions – looking at why challenging generally accepted beliefs about women and agriculture is a good starting point in Indonesia; the use of planting basins in a restoration project in eastern Kenya; and how women and men have participated in, and benefited from, four different restoration initiatives, also in Kenya.

Researchers to gather at World Congress on Agroforestry

The 4th World Congress on Agroforestry taking place in Montpellier, France, on May 20-22 aims to strengthen the links between science, society and public policies. Open to researchers, students, farmers, NGOs, and political and economic decisionmakers, the congress is expecting some 1,500 participants from more than 100 countries. FTA is a platinum partner for the event. The congress looks set to be an opportunity to assess the contribution of agroforestry to the agroecological transition of agriculture at a global level.

Can DRC’s community forests alleviate poverty?

Many countries with tropical forests have placed community forestry at the heart of their rural development strategies, giving local communities the rights to directly manage forests and decide how land will be used. Underpinning this is the belief that local people are best placed to manage resources on which they rely. Done sustainably, poverty can be alleviated, social mobility enhanced, and the ecological protection of the forest achieved. But between theory and practice lies a disconnect, with a new study showing that benefits do not always materialize.

Strengthening producer organizations is key to making finance inclusive and effective

As part of the new “Innovative finance for sustainable landscapes” interview series from FTA, TBI and CIFOR, the International Institute for Environment and Development’s (IIED) Forest Team Leader Duncan Macqueen spoke about increasing finance and investment in sustainable forestry and farming for smallholders. Inclusive finance is not primarily about individuals, but about producer organizations that include women, landless people and ethnic minorities. It ensures that local forest and farm producers are collectively involved in generating incomes, saving and making investments that improve their livelihoods.

Catalyzing partnerships for reforestation of degraded land

In the second edition of the innovative finance series, sustainable finance experts from the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) – Steven Duyverman and Charlotte van Andel of FMO’s Agribusiness, Food and Water department – reflect on how to apply their experience at the landscape level. Working in inclusive and green finance, FMO is ramping up its investments in the forestry sector. Among other things, making finance inclusive is about increasing local employment, with decent and sustainable jobs that help improve local economies and reduce inequalities.

How can rubber contribute to sustainable development in a context of climate change?

“Evolution to Revolution: New Paths for the Rubber Economy” was the theme of the World Rubber Summit held in Singapore on March 18-19, where FTA Director Vincent Gitz presented during a session titled Managing sustainability performances in the rubber value chain. Lying in the shadow of oil palm in terms of sustainable development issues, the rubber sector needs a combination of measures to progress toward sustainable development, and there is now a wealth of knowledge and evidence to make this happen.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: A. Sanjaya/CIFOR; T. Saputro/CIFOR; M. del Aguila Guerrero/CIFOR; A. Fassio/CIFOR; ©Macqueen/IIED; ©FMO; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR.

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Events

International Horticultural Exhibition
April 29 – Oct. 7, 2019
Yanqing District, Beijing, China

Global Landscapes Forum Kyoto
May 13, 2019
Kyoto International Conference Center, Kyoto, Japan

Fourth World Congress on Agroforestry
May 20-25, 2019
Le Corum Conference Centre, Montpellier, France

The CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) is the world’s largest research for development program to enhance the role of forests, trees and agroforestry in sustainable development and food security and to address climate change. CIFOR leads FTA in partnership with Bioversity International, CATIE, CIRAD, ICRAF, INBAR and TBI.

FTA thanks all donors who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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Women thinking of tomorrow (Vol. 3, Issue 2)

Women thinking of tomorrow (Vol. 3, Issue 2)

13 March, 2019

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FTA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

This year, International Women’s Day encourages us to think equal, build smart and innovate for change.

The CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) has a strong focus on advancing gender equality as a goal in its own right and as a means to achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Through gender research and action, FTA scientists seek to understand and redress inequalities and social exclusions related to access to and control of natural resources, governance of trees and forests, and the distribution of benefits from resource use in forest and agroforestry landscapes. Through gender transformative research, FTA seeks to challenge gender norms that maintain such inequalities, to enable both women and men to innovate for the changes they wish to see in the landscapes they inhabit. Highlighting its successes, members of FTA’s gender team were recently granted two feminization of agriculture grants, with a study on the gendered evolution of labor force participation in agriculture and forestry in Indonesia, and work on gender and generational dynamics in land restoration amid male out-migration in Burkina Faso and Kenya. FTA is pleased to share these and other initiatives in this special IWD edition. Find out about gender research related to forest and land restoration, the nutritional importance of trees on farms and bamboo as a development solution, as well as other work on climate negotiations, and the new member of FTA’s Independent Steering Committee (ISC), Richard Stanislaus Muyungi. Vincent Gitz, FTA Director, and Marlène Elias, FTA Gender Research Coordinator

Special feature

Thinking of tomorrow: Women essential to successful forest and land restoration in Africa

African community leaders know that women play essential roles in restoring land and forests, even though it is not always easy for them to contribute. But do high-level decision makers grasp the unrealized potential of women’s leadership? Taking cues from grassroots experiences can help regional restoration initiatives improve their chances of success. Late last year, African community leaders put together a manifesto that underscores how important communities are for successful restoration. Its recommendations build on 12 success stories collected from women and men working to reverse degradation across the continent.

News

Challenging gender norms around trees and land restoration in West Africa

Trees are important sources of income for many women in the drylands of West Africa, yet women often have little say in decisions about how land and trees are managed or how household income is used. A series of community workshops organized by the West Africa Forest-Farm Interface (WAFFI) project recently explored gender inequity and what could be done to change things for the better.

Land restoration to enhance gender equality in Burkina Faso

Landscape restoration enhances soil fertility and facilitates the establishment of trees that can provide benefits for human wellbeing as well as the environment. However, not all farmers are able to equally adopt or benefit from landscape restoration practices. As part of a project led by Bioversity International, research has highlighted how inclusive initiatives have the potential to improve women’s lives and communities’ environments, while also considering the barriers women face in restoring their land.

Trees nurture nutrition

Foods from farms with trees — also known as agroforestry — are dense with nutrients. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oils complement and diversify diets based on staple foods like rice, wheat, maize and cassava. To fully harness the benefits of trees, World Agroforestry (ICRAF) has developed an approach that helps with the selection of socioecologically suitable and nutritionally important food-tree species along with complementary vegetable, pulse and staple crops.

Promoting nature-based solutions for gender equality

As both a means of income and a renewable energy source, bamboo is helping to bring income and social standing to women across the world. The International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) promotes more inclusive training and job creation related to bamboo, contributing toward SDG 5 on achieving gender equality. Using bamboo not only gives women access to a potentially lucrative economic resource, but can also help to create more sustainable development solutions.

Subnational decision-making needed for climate gains

Global climate negotiations take place on the international stage, bolstered by countries’ national policies. But preventing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and other land-use changes requires work at the local level. For those efforts to be effective, it is important to understand who is involved at each level and in every sector, and how they interact, say scientists who have conducted research about such multi-level governance.

FTA welcomes new Independent Steering Committee member

The Independent Steering Committee (ISC) is a key component of the governance of FTA. The program recently welcomed a new independent member of the ISC, Richard Stanislaus Muyungi, who brings to the table extensive experience in environment and climate change over the past 25 years, with a particular focus on international environmental and climate policy and governance processes under the UN.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: O. Girard/CIFOR; World Agroforestry; S. Tiendrebeogo/Universite di Ouagadougou; World Agroforestry; INBAR; K. Evans/CIFOR; A. Gonzalez/CIFOR.

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Recent publications

Towards a gender-responsive implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Exploring park-people conflicts in Colombia through a social lens

Gender aspects in action- and outcome-based payments for ecosystem services — A tree planting field trial in Kenya

Addressing equity in community forestry: Lessons from 20 years of implementation in Cameroon

Gender and the formalization of native communities in the Peruvian Amazon

Formalización del derecho colectivo de las comunidades nativas en Perú: La perspectiva de los funcionarios que lo implementan

El impacto de la formalización de los derechos sobre la tierra y el bosque: Perspectivas de comunidades en Madre de Dios y Loreto

Historical trajectories and prospective scenarios for collective land tenure reforms in community forest areas in Colombia

Communities restoring landscapes: Stories of resilience and success

Forest biodiversity monitoring: Guide to community-based approaches

Presentations

Ecosystem services and participatory analysis of agricultural practices in Nicaragua

Events

Seeds of Change Conference April 2-4, 2019 Canberra, Australia

Fourth World Congress on Agroforestry FTA will hold “Social issues in agroforestry systems” and is involved in numerous other sessions. May 20-25, 2019 Montpellier, France

FTA thanks all donors who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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Food security and nutrition through a food systems approach (Vol. 3, Issue 1)

Food security and nutrition through a food systems approach (Vol. 3, Issue 1)

04 March, 2019

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FTA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Food security and nutrition through a food systems approach

The beginning of the year is traditionally a period for good resolutions. In late January, a group of nutritionists and earth scientists formulated some for each of us and for the planet. They advocate for a planetary diet, which would lead to improved individual and public health, and would prevent the depletion of our natural resources.

Their recommendations include doubling the current intake of fruits and nuts worldwide, which is certainly a very good idea. Orchards and fruit trees contribute to biodiverse landscapes, while delivering on healthy diets. Nuts are easy to conserve, and could provide value addition to millions of people in remote, rural places while contributing to the nutrition of billions in cities.

In the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA), our approach is to provide options suited to contexts, to improve food systems and diets. This means better understanding the complex environmental, economic and social links between forests, trees, quality of the landscape and the development of local and global food markets.

For an introduction to the issue, watch our recent discussion. Nutrition and food systems are a key area that FTA will explore in 2019 and the years to come.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

Rethinking the food system to tackle triple burden of malnutrition

International scientists are trying to find innovative solutions to tackle what is known as “the triple burden of malnutrition”: lack of food, lack of essential micronutrients, and overweight or obesity. A recent event in Bogor, Indonesia, organized by FTA and the Environmental Change Institute – University of Oxford, looked at enhancing food system resilience to global change, and what are the roles of forests, trees and agroforestry, as well as perspectives for research. Featuring a keynote from John Ingram, before presentations on the importance of forests, trees and agroforestry for food security and nutrition through a food systems approach from Terry Sunderland, Stepha McMullin and Amy Ickowitz, the discussion suggested that finding solutions requires the widening of perspectives from production-centric notions toward a transformation of food production systems.

News

Book analyzes decade of REDD+ experience

In its first 10 years, REDD+ has inspired much enthusiasm and hope for a global transition away from practices that threaten tropical forests, toward lasting climate mitigation. Despite unexpected challenges and a funding pot that has lacked the depth to trigger global mobilization, REDD+ is beginning to deliver on its potential – if more slowly than expected. A new book, Transforming REDD+: Lessons and new directions, takes stock of efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enhance forest carbon stocks at multiple scales.

Momentum builds to expand scale of land restoration

Participants of a recent workshop in northern Ghana have called for more trees to restore landscapes, aiming to reverse land degradation and improve livelihoods and food security. Leading farmers and extension officers, NGO representatives and researchers identified the many benefits of increasing trees and forests in landscapes, such as the conservation of soil and water and the important economic, medicinal and nutritional value of indigenous species. They also examined the complex constraints that confront those working to improve the management of agricultural, pastoral and forest land.

Financial innovations could pave way for New Deal for Nature

A global framework represents an opportunity for decision-makers to join urgent efforts to transform approaches to use, safeguard, restore and invest in biodiversity. The New Deal for Nature is regarded as a last call to address the underlying challenges of biodiversity and ecosystem loss, representing an opportunity for decision-makers to join urgent efforts to safeguard, restore and invest in biodiversity. Optimizing and preserving agrobiodiversity could translate into more reliable sourcing and stable production systems, while also enhancing the nutrition of agricultural products and sustainability for farmers.

Is bamboo a sustainable alternative for bioenergy production in Indonesia?

Scientists are exploring the potential of bamboo – already known as a source of food, fiber, firewood and construction material – in the critical realm of energy production and restoration of degraded land. Energy demand in Indonesia has increased significantly in recent years, as a result of population growth, urbanization and economic development. The government is also working to increase its energy provision from renewable sources, in line with its commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the international Paris Agreement on climate change.

Top of the tree: FTA’s year in review

FTA chalked up some notable achievements last year, contributing to sustainable development, food security and addressing climate change. A number of the program’s research findings reverberated throughout the scientific community, impacting discussions at major events and informing work on the ground. Find out which news articles, research publications, presentations and videos were most-viewed throughout the year.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: J. Nkadaani/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; Y. Gutierrez/CIFOR; World Agroforestry; L. Sebastian/Bioversity International; R. Bachtiar/CIFOR; J. Nkadaani/CIFOR; E. Prianto/CIFOR.

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Recent publications

Agricultural intensification, dietary diversity, and markets in the global food security narrative

Spatial Assessment of Degraded Lands for Biofuel Production in Indonesia

Progress in formalizing “native community” rights in the Peruvian Amazon (2014-2018)

Transforming REDD+: Lessons and new directions

Presentations

Enhancing food system resilience

Key findings from the HLPE report on Sustainable Forestry for Food Security and Nutrition

Understanding what works in forest-based climate change mitigation

Video

Enhancing food system resilience

Transforming REDD+ book launch at COP24

Events

Seeds of Change Conference
April 2-4, 2019
Canberra, Australia

Asia-Pacific Forestry Week
June 17-21, 2019
Incheon, Republic of Korea

FTA thanks all donors who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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Beyond restoration pledges and climate commitments (Vol. 2, Issue 8)

Beyond restoration pledges and climate commitments (Vol. 2, Issue 8)

02 January, 2019

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FTA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

As 2018 draws to a close, we are pleased to round out this volume of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry’s (FTA) newsletters, and to thank you for your continued readership.

In climate change and land restoration, and many other domains related to sustainable development, political pledges are important. But they are only the first step. What matters is action and impact, and how to go beyond these commitments? For this, farmers, foresters, practitioners, value-chain actors and policy-makers need practical solutions. This is what has guided the work of FTA throughout 2018: to build and promote a range of evidence-based, effective options for stakeholders.

In our November highlights, FTA supported the launch of the International Tropical Peatlands Center in Indonesia and organized with CATIE stock-take workshops on the “sentinel landscapes” initiative in Nicaragua-Honduras.

In December, FTA participated in the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Bonn and the COP24 climate conference. Read below to find out about FTA’s contributions to these – from seed and seedling systems to bamboo for restoration and gender equality in climate initiatives.

All the best for the new year.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

Getting landscapes on a fast track to sustainability

The recent GLF in Bonn assembled 1,000 participants on site and thousands more online, to go beyond pledges and commitments and spur collective action on securing a more sustainable future. Participants reiterated that business-as-usual will not get landscapes on the track of sustainability, nor do it broadly and quickly enough to meet critical biodiversity, climate and development goals. Addressing this, delegates from governments, academia, NGOs, the private sector and civil society presented practical strategies and solutions over the two-day event.

News

Seed diversity vital to achieve landscape restoration pledges

With countries making significant pledges under the Bonn Challenge to restore degraded land, achieving these objectives at scale requires diverse, adapted and high-quality native tree seeds and planting material – however, as shown by FTA research, the quality and quantity of tree germplasm is not always adequately addressed in restoration projects. Research is now generating solutions to help the global community move from pledges to impact when it comes to tree seeds and seedlings, with a discussion at GLF Bonn bringing these issues to the fore.

Standing tall: Bamboo from restoration to economic development

Bamboo provides a durable building material and strong fiber for paper and textiles. Bamboo grows back quickly after being harvested – making it a highly sustainable product to work with. A side event at GLF Bonn addressed how bamboo fits into conversations about land management, land restoration, erosion control and nature-based solutions for development challenges. Strong participation of private sector actors from China showed how restoration and development of value chains go hand in hand with sustainable development.

Gender-blind climate action risks jeopardizing efficiency and long-term sustainability

Forested landscapes play a key role in all 1.5 degree pathways modelled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its recent report and also provide many functions critical to adaptation. Failing to address gender equality in forest- and tree-based climate initiatives can have negative implications for gender equity, while also potentially undermining the efficiency and sustainability of climate efforts, according to the COP24 climate talks held recently in Katowice, Poland.

Workshop on social and gender dynamics aims to improve resilience and livelihoods in Ghana

Raising awareness of gender equity and equality is critical for Africa’s future, with workshops like the one held recently in Ghana making an important contribution. The participants expressed a strong interest in learning more about gender equity and equality so that they could integrate the concepts into agricultural and natural resource management. Among other themes, participants engaged in extensive discussions about different perceptions on gender, processes of gender transformation and, thus, societal change.

CATIE presents results on sentinel landscapes in Nicaragua-Honduras

A sentinel landscape is a geographic area or set of areas bound by a common issue, in which a broad range of biophysical, social, economic and political data are monitored, collected with consistent methods and interpreted over the long term. As part of the FTA Sentinel Landscapes initiative, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) has coordinated the Nicaragua-Honduras Sentinel Landscape initiative since 2012, and recently held four workshops for participants from government, academic, productive sectors and NGOs, to present results and advances.

Restoration and sustainable management of forests form a line of defense against global warming

Forests provide a form of ‘natural technology’ that is practical and more cost-effective than alternative carbon removal technologies, which are not yet mature enough for wide application. A recent statement released by the Climate and Land Use Alliance that coincided with the IPCC special report on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and was signed by 40 prominent environmental scientists, argues that the preservation, restoration and sustainable management of forests is the world’s best hope for limiting global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Peatlands: From marginal lands to essential ecosystem

Peatlands, natural areas of accumulated decayed plant material known as peat, have huge value as carbon sinks, making them key in limiting global warming. Given the importance of peatlands in achieving climate mitigation objectives, preserving them intact and restoring degraded areas is increasingly being recognized as an international issue. The new International Tropical Peatland Center (ITPC) is aiming to become a one-stop shop for countries that encompass tropical peatlands, providing research and knowledge to enable informed decisions on their sustainable management.

Nyamplung’s biofuel potential could support landscape restoration in Indonesia

Biofuel plantations could be central to meeting landscape restoration targets in Indonesia, while also helping the country to meet growing energy demand. Scientists are currently conducting research through a collaborative research project to identify the most promising and productive bioenergy crops suited to degraded and underutilized lands. The research is aiming to demonstrate methods of bioenergy production that do not compete with food production and environmental conservation, but contribute to them.

Special issue looks at forest governance interventions to promote sustainability

It is widely agreed that effective governance is key to building and securing sustainability in forested areas, but the jury is still out over what that actually looks like. A new special issue of Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (COSUST) contains 19 reviews that aim to assess the degree of effectiveness of the environmental governance strategy that they focus on, including REDD+, protected areas, community forests, concessions, tree plantation, forests under certification, private acquisition of land for conservation, and sustainable intensification.

Does soybean certification help to reduce deforestation?

Much of the world’s soybean crop is produced in the Amazon and Cerrado ecosystems of Brazil, which each lose between 5 to 10,000 square kilometers of forest each year. Today, 2 to 4 percent of global soy production is certified as responsible, representing a niche market of concerned consumers who are willing to pay more for products guaranteed to be emissions and deforestation-free. Recent research compared seven soy certification schemes in Brazil to assess whether such guarantees actually reduce deforestation.

Interactive map provides tools for corporate accountability and land-use planning in Papua

Due to its remote location and sparse population, Papua, Indonesia, harbors one of the Pacific’s last remaining expanses of pristine tropical forest. However, recent spikes in deforestation rates, accompanied by the expansion of industrial oil palm plantations, are signs that rapid change is on the horizon. Scientists hope the new Papua Atlas, a platform that is due to be launched mid-2019, will show where forest is being cleared on the island and who is responsible for the deforestation.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: P. Valbuena/GLF; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR); M. Edliadi/CIFOR; J. Baxter/ICRAF; CATIE; U. Ifansasti/CIFOR; S. Deni Sasmito/CIFOR; C. Croft-Cusworth/CIFOR; Y. Gutierrez/CIFOR; N. Palmer/CIAT; A. Andrianto/CIFOR.

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Recent publications

Forecasting cocoa yields for 2050

Governing sustainable palm oil supply: Disconnects, complementarities, and antagonisms between state regulations and private standards

Implementing sustainability commitments for palm oil in Indonesia: Governance arrangements of sustainability initiatives involving public and private actors

Does the monitoring of local governance improve transparency? Lessons from three approaches in subnational jurisdictions

Integrating bioenergy and food production on degraded landscapes in Indonesia

Impacts of forestation on water and soils in the Andes: What do we know?

Creating blue carbon opportunities in the maritime archipelago Indonesia

Presentations

Migration and Forests: People in Motion – Landscapes in Transition

A personal take on forest landscapes restoration in Africa

Video

Ten years of the Global Comparative Study on REDD+

Bamboo for restoration and economic development

Looking at the past to shape the Landscape Approach of the future

Delivery of quality and diverse planting material

Expansion of oil palm plantations into forests appears to be changing local diets in Indonesia

Events

Seeds of Change Conference
April 2-4, 2019
Canberra, Australia

Asia-Pacific Forestry Week
June 17-21, 2019
Incheon, Republic of Korea

FTA thanks all donors who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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A global vision of gender equality (Vol. 2, Issue 7)

A global vision of gender equality (Vol. 2, Issue 7)

15 October, 2018

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FTA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Today, on International Day of Rural Women, the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) celebrates the invaluable contribution of rural women to food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management, and building climate resilience.

International Day of Rural Women is also a time for all stakeholders to commit to renewed efforts to address the gender inequalities that shape women’s and men’s constraints and opportunities in tree-based systems, and that condition their ability to benefit from, and contribute to, positive development and environmental change.

In this edition, learn how FTA contributes to a global vision of gender equality and women’s empowerment and further aligns its activities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a duo of articles, we offer an analysis of UN Women’s 2018 flagship report on gender and the SDGs and its implications for the CGIAR gender research community.

Furthermore, find out about the GENNOVATE comparative qualitative research initiative as well as work on restoration and migration, particularly how they relate to gender equality and social inclusion across research on forests, trees and agroforestry. In addition to showcasing these and other recent developments in FTA’s gender research, this edition also looks at other significant FTA work including a recent report on jurisdictional sustainability, the Trees for Seeds initiative and bioenergy development.

From a gender and social inclusion perspective, as a research for development program, FTA gives utmost importance to greater collaboration among researchers, governments and women’s organizations to help realize the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director, and Marlène Elias, FTA Gender Research Coordinator

Thoughts on gender

What’s in it for gender researchers when it comes to UN Women’s gender in the SDGs report?

In the first of a two-part series, Bimbika Sijapati Basnett analyzes UN Women’s 2018 flagship report on gender and SDGs, which offers a framework to monitor each of the 17 SDGs from a gender perspective, and takes stock of their performance to date. After recently publishing a brief evaluating this role, Sijapati Basnett looks at the report’s implications for the CGIAR gender research community.

News

Playing a bigger role in global monitoring of the SDGs

In a follow-up article prompted by UN Women’s report, Sijapati Basnett reflects upon entry points for CGIAR to respond to the call for greater collaboration among researchers, governments and women’s organizations to realize the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The CGIAR community is uniquely situated to react to the request, with a possible first step of prioritizing CGIAR-wide deliberations on how to play a more meaningful role.

Women’s hidden harvest: the AmaXhosa women and traditional culture survival practices

A new photobook, Women’s hidden harvest, offers a visual journey based on research on rural women’s struggles to protect their traditional knowledge and practices attached to imifino. These leafy green vegetables, which grow wild in forests, and in fallowed and cultivated fields, play an important nutritional role as a free and healthy food source in Hobeni village, South Africa, and are special to women, who guard traditional knowledge on plant identification, harvesting, and culinary traditions.

Restoration initiatives must consider how gender relations shape control over land

Marking International Day of Rural Women, a framework developed by FTA researchers demonstrates how forest landscape restoration can promote food and nutrition security and gender equality. Restoration initiatives must consider how gender relations shape access to and control over land and its use, and how changes in land use that may result from restoration can disadvantage women if their priorities, labor, knowledge and rights to resources are overlooked.

Storytelling guide illustrates how local practices can contribute to landscape restoration

Efforts to help spread knowledge of land restoration and food security techniques developed by researchers and farmers in Haharu District, Sumba, Indonesia, have resulted in the illustrated story book, Menanam pohon di bukit batu (Planting trees on a stony hill). Researchers expect that the book will assist farmers in the district to better understand research results, and thus to restore their land to a fertile and productive state.

Hedging bets in resilient landscape restoration

Globally, degraded land costs about 10% of global GDP per year, while improved ecosystem services, climate mitigation and improved productivity of degraded land could provide billions of dollars of benefits per year. One of the critical barriers to restoration is having access to the seeds and seedlings of the right tree species, of the right quality. This topic was the focus of a recent discussion on the Bioversity International initiative Trees for Seeds at the recent Global Landscapes Forum.

What do gender norms, innovation and trees have to do with each other?

An estimated 1.6 billion people live in and around forests and depend in part or in full on forests for their livelihoods and wellbeing. Yet, the benefits from forests, trees and agroforests are unequally distributed across communities based on the gender, socioeconomic status, generation or age of their members. A new report based on case studies from the GENNOVATE comparative qualitative research initiative presents findings from Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan that shed light on how gender norms shape, and are influenced by, forest and tree-based innovation processes.

Jurisdictional sustainability report assesses outcomes of initiatives for tropical forests and climate change

Conservation and reforestation work needs to take into account existing land uses and seek solutions that serve local communities as well as bigger-picture goals. Conserving and restoring tropical forests on which millions of people around the world rely on for their livelihoods could represent over a quarter of the near-term solution to addressing climate change. An increasingly popular option for managing landscapes that takes social, economic, political and ecological considerations into account is a jurisdictional approach.

Impact of migration on people and landscapes in Nepal

Around half a million people, or 8 percent of Nepal’s total population, applied for a permit to work abroad in 2014 – and 94 percent of them were men. Despite this, Nepal’s recent Forest Sector Strategy (2012-2022) mentions migration just once. A series of four videos and associated articles looks at migration research in Nepal, including the importance of migration for rural livelihoods and the diversity of women’s experiences.

From seeds to sales: A comprehensive look at the potential of bioenergy crops

If the bioenergy sector plants its roots in sustainable agriculture methods, it can simultaneously help achieve other national targets like food security and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Rather than growing the sector through the conversion of healthy ecosystems and arable land, an FTA project is seeking to establish a new approach of using Indonesia’s degraded lands for bioenergy production, thereby transforming them back into profitable landscapes.

What’s holding back biodiesel industry growth in Indonesia?

Despite Indonesia being the largest producer of palm oil in the world, its bioenergy production remains relatively low. A team including FTA researchers interviewed key informants from government and the business sector as part of research on the opportunities and challenges presented by policies relating to the development of palm oil-based biodiesel. They found that a range of policy and technical obstacles are preventing the sector’s growth, with the work leading to the release of a working paper.

Improving livelihoods, equity and forests through sustainable management of NTFPs

Careful management and conservation of biodiversity are fundamental for sustaining ecosystems and livelihoods but are increasingly difficult to achieve in the contexts of persistent poverty, a growing international demand for timber and non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and climate change. A new publication offers field-tested strategies and good practices on how to pursue the multiple goals of gender equality and social inclusion, environmental integrity, and livelihood improvement through the sustainable use and management of NTFPs.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: C. Shekhar Karki/CIFOR; A. Fassio/CIFOR; R. Vernooy; M. Elias/Bioversity International; ICRAF; A. Camacho/Bioversity International; M. Elias/Bioversity International; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; E. Hermanowicz/Bioversity International.

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Recent publications

Women’s hidden harvest: Indigenous vegetables and amaXhosa cultural survival in Hobeni Village, South Africa

Gender equality and forest landscape restoration infobriefs

Menanam Pohon di Bukit Batu (Planting trees on a stony hill)

Guidelines for equitable and sustainable non-timber forest product management

Gendered aspirations and occupations among rural youth, in agriculture and beyond: A cross-regional perspective

Landscape Restoration in Kenya: Addressing gender equality

Bioenergy development in Central Kalimantan: Current research findings and potential areas for future study

The State of Jurisdictional Sustainability: Synthesis for practitioners and policymakers

UN Women’s evaluation of gender in the SDGs: What’s the role for the CGIAR?

Fit for purpose? A review of guides for gender-equitable value chain development

Understanding gendered innovation processes in forest-based landscapes: Case studies from Indonesia and Kyrgyz Republic

Gender in the jungle: a critical assessment of women and gender in current (2014–2016) forestry research

Evidence-based options for advancing social equity in Indonesian palm oil: Implications for research, policy and advocacy

Gender lessons for climate initiatives: A comparative study of REDD+ impacts on subjective wellbeing

Making sense of ‘intersectionality’: A manual for lovers of people and forests

Presentations

Informing gender-responsive climate policy and action

What is the impact of out-migration for employment purposes on peoples and land?

Video

Social inclusion, equity and rights in the context of restoration – lessons from the ground

Events

Committee on World Food Security (CFS) 45
Oct. 15-19, 2018
Rome, Italy

4th International Conference on Planted Forests
Oct. 23-27, 2018
Beijing, China

Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Bonn
Dec 1-2, 2018
Bonn, Germany

FTA thanks all donors who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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Restoration of forest landscapes (Vol.2, Issue 6)

Restoration of forest landscapes (Vol.2, Issue 6)

24 September, 2018

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FTA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

One of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry’s (FTA) key operational priorities is the restoration of forests and landscapes, involving research on different dimensions and the integration of findings and emerging lessons into policy platforms and governance processes.

The last week of August was “restoration week” for FTA, with the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) in Nairobi, along with two FTA-organized workshops held at the World Agroforestry Centre’s (ICRAF) headquarters, the first of which enabled FTA to plan its activities on restoration for the next three years, while the second – in association with partners from the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM) and participants from nine CGIAR centers – aimed to enhance synergies and plan joint activities.

GLF Nairobi highlighted how essential restoring the world’s degraded and deforested landscapes is for local communities and the environments they live in. Such work requires approaches that integrate diverse objectives within the forest landscape, including livelihoods, economic development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. FTA participated widely in the GLF, with discussion forums, launchpads and a side event involving partner institutions the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), ICRAF, Bioversity International and Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD).

In this edition, FTA also congratulates its partner institution CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) on 45 years of research and higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean, being celebrated throughout 2018. Other notable occurrences of late include the launch of a new reference book for scientists and producers of cocoa, as well as the Tropical Peatlands Exchange event. Read on to find out more and, while you’re at it, don’t miss FTA’s recently released Annual Report 2017!

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

FTA at GLF Nairobi: Faith in trees restored

The recent GLF conference, focusing on restoration in Africa, was attended by 800 people from the worlds of research, natural resource management and the private sector, and watched by thousands more online. FTA, for which restoration is a key priority, played major roles in the event, which was held in Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug. 29-30, including as a funding partner, as well as hosting discussions on social inclusion, the Eastern African Forest Observatory, rights and access, sustainable woodfuel, and the Trees for Seeds initiative. Leading into the two days of discussions, CIFOR Director General Robert Nasi gave a keynote speech that queried the limited implementation of restoration, despite landscape degradation bringing huge costs to society and restoration bringing impressive returns. He called for a paradigm change, moving away from seeing restoration as a high-cost activity with no financial returns to landowners and with only environmental benefits, and toward one that provides increased incomes to landowners, creates jobs, and results in ecosystem goods and services for society as a whole.

News

GLF session acknowledges difference between tree and land tenure, aims to enhance landscapes

Tenure rights to trees are entangled with, but different from, those to land, meaning both must be acknowledged to incentivize stewardship of the landscape by local communities. Thus, land tenure rights, which are widely recognized as being central to advancing sustainable development goals, are only one part of the picture, which was one of the main takeaways from the panel Rights, access, and values: trees in shifting economic and political contexts – new insights from sub-Saharan Africa, cohosted by FTA and PIM.

Local communities a driving force behind recovering Africa’s landscapes

Every year, Africa loses 2.8 million hectares of forest, which is an area roughly the size of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, two-thirds of its land is degraded. However, as countries mobilize to restore 100 million hectares by 2030 in the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), local communities are emerging as a driving force behind the movement to recover the continent’s landscapes, who took center stage at GLF Nairobi.

ICRAF works to create transformational change in land management

Ahead of GLF Nairobi, ICRAF Director General Tony Simons spoke about the potential he sees for policy change to help make forest landscape restoration work for ecosystems, people and profit across the African continent. Simons also spoke during the Policy Plenary just before the finale of the GLF, which explored how to create enabling environments for transformational change in landscape management in the region.

CATIE marks 45 years of putting knowledge into practice

As CATIE marks its 45th year, it is continuing to build on its reputation as a renowned research platform and internationally recognized education institution, as well as being a strategic partner of FTA. Remarking on the milestone, CATIE’s Director General Muhammad Ibrahim said the center’s vision over the coming years would focus on offering leadership in the generation of ‘agents of change’ and in search of solutions to challenges facing the region and the world that have been emphasized in the SDGs and by the UNFCCC.

Agricultural research and education combine for tangible results in Latin America

In light of its standing as a regional research platform and higher education institution, CATIE holds an undeniably important position in Latin America and the Caribbean. The work carried out by CATIE researchers is focused on generating and disseminating knowledge, putting it into practice and encouraging uptake. From restoration to climate change adaptation and mitigation, conservation strategies and silvopastoral systems, the center’s work spans not only numerous countries but also several decades.

Spilling the beans: FTA scientists contribute to new book about sustainable cocoa

With a distinguished editor and a variety of international experts as authors, including a number from FTA strategic partners CATIE, Bioversity International and CIRAD, the recently launched book Achieving sustainable cultivation of cocoa is considered a new standard reference for scientists and producers of cocoa, and discusses challenges standing in the way of making cocoa crops more efficient and sustainable.

New legislation advances community rights in forest management in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government aims to restore 22 million hectares of degraded lands and forests by 2030, to increase tree cover and restore degraded forests, and also to significantly enhance the forestry sector’s contribution to agricultural production systems, water and energy; to improve food and nutritional security; and to create more opportunities for employment and household income. To this end, a new forest law was enacted in January this year that recognizes the rights of communities and acknowledges their role in managing natural forests and establishing plantations, without unduly compromising ecological services or biodiversity.

Hanging in the balance: Preservation, restoration and sustainable management in Indonesian peatlands

The need to protect remaining peatlands while restoring degraded lands resounded throughout the Tropical Peatlands Exchange. Though only 3 percent of the world’s land area is covered by peatlands, these areas hold high amounts of soil carbon, with a density that underscores their importance and the vested interest in their preservation. With Indonesia being home to some of the world’s largest peatland areas, the country can significantly impact both regional and global environments, markets and livelihoods through its peatland management decisions.

CIFOR now hosts comprehensive REDD+ tool

An innovative Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) monitoring tool, the International Database on REDD+ Projects and Programs Linking Economic, Carbon and Communities Data (ID-RECCO), is now hosted by CIFOR. Launched in 2013, ID-RECCO highlights 467 subnational REDD+ initiatives from around the world. ID-RECCO was the first tool to gather such a large amount of information on subnational REDD+ initiatives in a comprehensive way, and it continues to evolve.

Sharing risk of blue carbon investment in ‘era of SDGs’

The Blue Carbon Summit on July 16-17 in Jakarta, Indonesia, showed the importance of increased learning and disseminating new knowledge about coastal ecosystems. During the event, one of the discussion forums – Financing blue carbon development – honed in on these at-risk ecosystems, looking in particular at the payment mechanisms needed to keep blue carbon intact. The public and private sectors must join forces to finance blue carbon, in order to reap social, environmental and economic returns from the ecosystems, speakers concurred.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: GLF; O. Girard/CIFOR; P. Shepherd/CIFOR; A. Mamo/ICRAF; CATIE; CATIE; O. Girard/CIFOR; O. Girard/CIFOR; A. Erlangga/CIFOR; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR.

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Annual Report

CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) Annual Report 2017

Publications

Achieving sustainable cultivation of cocoa

What is REDD+ achieving on the ground?

A global strategy for the conservation and use of coconut genetic resources 2018-2028

Certifying Environmental Social Responsibility: Special Issue

Presentations

A personal take on forest landscapes restoration in Africa

What is the impact of out-migration for employment purposes on peoples and land?

Emergent dynamics of migration and their potential effects on forest and land use in North Kalimantan, Indonesia

Migration, property rights and livelihoods on Peruvian forest frontiers

Nature-based vs. technological approaches to adaptation to climate change in the Peruvian Andes

Conflict in collective land and forest formalization: a preliminary analysis

Videos

Robert Nasi’s opening remarks at GLF Nairobi 2018

Social inclusion, equity and rights in the context of restoration – lessons from the ground

Trees for Seeds, a foundation for resilient restoration

Peatlands and climate change at the Tropical Peatlands Exchange 2018

Peatlands and ecosystem services at the Tropical Peatlands Exchange 2018

Events

Global Land Forum Conference
Sept. 22 – 29, 2018
Bandung, Indonesia

Science Forum 2018
Oct. 10-12, 2018
Stellenbosch, South Africa

4^th International Conference on Planted Forests
Oct. 23-27, 2018
Beijing, China

FTA thanks all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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Green development through bamboo and rattan (Vol.2, Issue 5)

Green development through bamboo and rattan (Vol.2, Issue 5)

10 August, 2018

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FTA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Bamboo and rattan have huge potential to restore degraded land, build earthquake-resilient housing, reduce deforestation, and provide incomes for people across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Innovative uses of bamboo and rattan can have various environmental benefits – bamboo charcoal, for example, can reduce pressure on other forest resources – while the plants can also store carbon and protect biodiversity. FTA was glad to participate in the recent Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress (BARC) in Beijing, China, and to see it result in a declaration calling for bamboo and rattan to play a bigger role in forestry initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Blue Carbon Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, which FTA supported, similarly looked at carbon sequestration, ecosystem services and biodiversity, in relation to coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass meadows.

Read on to find out more about the discussions and outcomes of these two important events, as well as conservation and restoration priorities; advancements in plant breeding; and a landmark report on the interactions between forests and water.

And as always, please get in touch if you have comments or questions about this latest edition of the FTA newsletter.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

Bamboo and rattan: Surprising tools for forest protection

Bamboo and rattan are important – but critically overlooked – non-timber forest products. At the recent Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress (BARC) in Beijing, China, organized by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) and China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, 1,200 participants from almost 70 countries took part in discussions about the uses of bamboo and rattan in forestry and agroforestry, the ecosystem services they provide, and their contribution to a number of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Beijing Declaration, announced on the final day of the Congress, called for support of the plants’ development in forestry and related initiatives.

News

Optimizing carbon stocks of cocoa landscapes can help conserve Africa’s forests

Cocoa agroforests vary widely in terms of tree composition and structure in Cameroon, but, until recently, few studies had been conducted to understand how these differences impact carbon stocks. Cocoa producing areas had been becoming increasingly prone to deforestation and drought, until chocolate companies began making deforestation-related commitments. This called for scientists to generate knowledge enabling the transformation of cocoa forest landscapes in beneficial ways.

Failure to manage blue carbon ecosystems could break the internet

The Blue Carbon Summit held on July 17-18 in Jakarta, Indonesia, covered everything from the most well-known blue carbon ecosystems of mangroves and seagrass to coral reefs, the fish industry, ecotourism, plastic waste, shipping emissions and offshore mining. Over two days, scientists, government, the private sector, media and likeminded community members came together for discussions that called for coordinated efforts to address issues related to blue carbon – that which is stored in coastal ecosystems, in contrast to “green carbon” stored in plants, trees and soil.

Seagrass meadows: Underutilized and over-damaged carbon sinks

As global conservation awareness about mangroves, salt marshes and other coastal ecosystems continues to grow, seagrass meadows are being left at the bottom. Though they cover less than .2% of the ocean floor, they are responsible for an estimated 10% or more of the ‘blue’ carbon sequestered by the ocean each year. At the Blue Carbon Summit, researchers examining seagrass in Indonesia shared findings on these under-researched ecosystems, and what needs to be done to ensure their longevity going forward.

Forests are key to combating world’s looming water crisis, says new GFEP report

A new report released recently at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York suggests that successfully managing the world’s forests will be key to mitigating climate risks and ensuring safe and sustainable water supplies for all. It presents a comprehensive global assessment of available scientific information about the interactions between forests and water, and was prepared by the Global Forest Expert Panel (GFEP) on Forests and Water.

Informal, traditional and semiformal property rights should be fully acknowledged, panel agrees

LANDac, the Netherlands Academy on Land Governance for Equitable and Sustainable Development, held its annual international conference on June 28-29 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. On the second day of the event, a session organized by Tropenbos International (TBI) and partners discussed the practical implications of the increasing evidence from research and experiences in different parts of the world on the value and scope of so-called ‘good enough tenure’ arrangements for international and national policymakers and investors.

Mapping conservation priorities for Asian tree species

A new regional initiative is providing practitioners with tools for deciding where to focus conservation and restoration efforts. Valuable tree species across Asia urgently need conservation and restoration to help meet future needs for food, fuel and fiber in the world’s most populous region. Effective conservation strategies for these species and their genetic resources cannot be implemented without improving knowledge on the species’ distributions and the threats they are facing.

Plant breeders contribute to achieving food security across Africa

Thirty-four plant breeders from 18 countries graduated from the UC Davis African Plant Breeding Academy in May 2018. The course, hosted by FTA partner institution the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Kenya, equips practicing African plant breeders with advanced theory and technologies in plant breeding, quantitative genetics, statistics and experimental design to support critical decisions. This was the third cohort of the course, with participants drawn from across the continent.

A decade since the birth of REDD+, what does the program need to succeed?

Almost 10 years since the birth of REDD+, the UN-backed program to incentivize forest restoration and conservation in developing countries, as part of a worldwide effort to reduce emissions and increase carbon stocks, has been heralded as a powerful part of the solution to both poverty and climate change. But at a session hosted by Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and FTA at the Global Landscapes Forum‘s Investment Case Symposium in Washington, the debate ran fast and hot.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera; O. Girard/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; ICRAF; A. Riveros; R. Jalonen/Bioversity International; ICRAF; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR.

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Publications

Fire- and distance-dependent recruitment of the Brazil nut in the Peruvian Amazon

Baseline for assessing the impact of fairtrade certification on cocoa farmers and cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire

The Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Coconut Genetic Resources 2018 -2028: summary brochure

Spatial and seasonal variation in soil respiration along a slope in a rubber plantation and a natural forest in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China

Spatial Gradients of Ecosystem Health Indicators across a Human-Impacted Semiarid Savanna

Climate-smart land use requires local solutions, transdisciplinary research, policy coherence and transparency

Sustainable intensification of dairy production can reduce forest disturbance in Kenyan montane forests

The potential of REDD+ to finance forestry sector in Vietnam

Videos

Financing Blue Carbon development

Opening plenary of the Blue Carbon Summit 2018

Daniel Murdiyarso talks about the interaction between land and oceans

Himlal Baral discusses how forests can aid climate change impacts on geographical diversity

Events

GLF Africa Conference
August 29 – 30, 2018
United Nations compound, Nairobi, Kenya

Tropentag 2018
Sept. 17-19, 2018
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

Global Land Forum Conference
Sept. 22 – 29, 2018
Bandung, Indonesia

4th International Conference on Planted Forests
Oct. 23-27, 2018
Beijing, China

FTA thanks all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.


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Inclusive landscape finance (Vol. 2, Issue 4)

Inclusive landscape finance (Vol. 2, Issue 4)

25 June, 2018

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FTA communications

Among the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry’s (FTA) major areas of work is sustainable value chains and investments, which support forest conservation and equitable development through innovations in public policy, business models, private investments and finance.

In relation to this, at the recent Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Investment Case Symposium, key topics of discussion included blended finance, bonds and blockchains, as well as REDD+. Prior to that event, private and blended finance were also considered in relation to REDD+ at the Bonn Climate Change Conference. And coming up soon, a new initiative will aim to share issues and best practice for increasing inclusive, responsible finance which promotes sustainable landscape restoration and management – in the form of an article series and online consultation.

FTA will also soon participate in the world-first Global Bamboo and Rattan Conference (BARC) in China – as well as the Blue Carbon Summit in Indonesia and the GLF Landscape Restoration in Africa conference, both of which will look at aspects of the global climate, biodiversity, land restoration and development targets.

As always, please get in touch if you have any feedback about this edition of the FTA newsletter.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

Making landscape finance more inclusive

Forests and farmland, land use and landscapes are the basis of much of the global economy, and are vital to those who live in them and from them. But ever-increasing levels of external investment are making huge impacts, both positive and negative. FTA, along with Tropenbos International (TBI) and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), is launching a new article series and online platform on inclusive finance, aiming to share issues and best practice for increasing inclusive, responsible finance that promotes sustainable landscape restoration and management.

News

Blend, bond and blockchain: The financial landscape is changing to fit the planet’s needs

Sustainable finance is struggling to adapt to the rapidity of global development, forcing global research and dialogue to move quickly in figuring out how to keep it healthy and green. What existing mechanisms can we leverage, and what must we innovate? What financial infrastructure do we prune, replant, grow? During the third annual GLF Investment Case Symposium, particular topics of importance were put forward, namely blended finance, bonds and blockchains.

A decade since the birth of REDD+, what does the program need to succeed?

It is almost 10 years since the birth of REDD+, the UN-backed program to incentivize forest restoration and conservation in developing countries, as part of a worldwide effort to reduce emissions and increase carbon stocks. The program, also tailored to contribute to national sustainable development, has been heralded as a powerful part of the solution to both poverty and climate change. But at a session hosted by CIFOR and FTA at the GLF Investment Case Symposium in Washington, the debate ran fast and hot.

New study finds little private finance in REDD+ efforts, suggests blended finance as way forward

The average annual financing for REDD+ of US$323 million might sound like a lot on its own, but compared to the US$41 billion spent on agricultural subsidies and biofuel, it is just a drop in the bucket. This is one of many findings elucidated in a forthcoming study on funding for reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). A preview of the study was provided during an official side event at the recent Bonn Climate Change Conference.

Realizing bamboo and rattan’s full potential: An interview with INBAR Director General Hans Friederich

Ahead of BARC on June 25-27, INBAR Director General Hans Friederich discusses the versatility and potential of bamboo and rattan, and what can be expected from the upcoming conference. Set to take place in Beijing, China, BARC will be the world’s first international, policy-focused conference on how the “green tools” of bamboo and rattan can benefit sustainable development. It is being coorganized by INBAR, an intergovernmental organization comprising 43 member states.

FTA names new Independent Steering Committee members

FTA has named two new, independent members of its Independent Steering Committee (ISC). The appointment was formalized by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of FTA’s lead center CIFOR, following a review of candidatures by the ISC. The ISC oversees the research programming, partnership engagement, delivery and effectiveness of FTA at a strategic level. Bringing many years of experience and expertise to the ISC, new members Linda Collette and Susan Braatz officially commenced their three-year terms in May 2018.

The concept and development of the ‘landscape approach’

Pressure to manage the world’s resources responsibly for people, biodiversity and the climate has perhaps never been so intense. In this context, the landscape approach, which has grown in popularity in land management circles in recent years, may hold critical importance. According to a definitive research paper, the approach seeks to provide “tools and concepts for allocating and managing land to achieve social, economic, and environmental objectives in areas where agriculture, mining, and other productive land uses compete with environmental and biodiversity goals.”

Collecting gender-disaggregated data, and what to do with it

Under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 48^th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 48) took place from April 30 to May 10 in Bonn, Germany. An in-session workshop at SBI 48, focused on differentiated impacts of climate change and gender-responsive climate policy and action, featured a number of prominent speakers, including FTA gender equality and social inclusion team member Markus Ihalainen.

New guidebook helps community members and policymakers understand social forestry schemes

One challenge with social forestry is that its inner workings are not always understood – often among the communities most involved in it. This is why a team of scientists has published a new guidebook that makes this complex form of forest management easier to understand. By explaining in simple terms the legal logistics of how local communities manage different forest areas, the guidebook serves as a reference to government officials and community assistants in the field. Through this, it aims to help local communities gain tenure for the forests they manage.

Vietnam prepares for long-term agroforestry strategy to address national and international commitments

Agroforestry has been practiced for a long time in Vietnam, but widespread adoption remains limited. Building on previous work to address barriers to adoption, during a recent workshop participants agreed that a long-term strategy for the development of agroforestry throughout the country was needed to address national and international commitments – in another step forward after a 2015 national policy dialogue for agroforestry development, from which two actions were implemented with technical and financial support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Observatory addresses urgent need to monitor forests in East Africa

East Africa is home to some of the world’s most diverse forests and, like many forested areas around the globe, they are increasingly threatened by agricultural expansion and deforestation for fuelwood and timber purposes. Although regional authorities, governments, NGOs and international organizations are working hard to protect these forests, without an accurate dataset, there is no effective way to monitor the ecological, environmental and social aspects of these forests. Experts are now working together to lay the groundwork for a new regional observatory in East Africa.

Citizens support data collection on water towers that help to supply their communities

Montane forests in East Africa play a crucial role as water towers, holding freshwater long enough for it to recharge aquifers that supply local communities. But communities can also help the water towers. When researchers found there were no consistent datasets on the state of water resources in Kenya’s Sondu-Miriu River basin, they decided to test an approach that is rarely used in developing countries, and even more uncommon in the field of hydrology: involving citizens in monitoring and crowdsourcing data collection.

Calls for greater momentum on forest initiatives, from REDD+ to ecotourism, at APRS 2018

Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region on earth, and home to the world’s three largest cities. Yet it also contains 740 million hectares of forests, accounting for 26 percent of the region’s land area and 18 percent of forest cover globally. More than 450 million people depend on these forests for their livelihoods. The third Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS) examined how the region’s economic and social development can better integrate with climate change and carbon emissions reduction goals.

Vietnam ministry awards ICRAF coordinator for agriculture and rural development work

The World Agroforestry Centre’s (ICRAF) Vietnam Coordinator Delia C. Catacutan recently received the country’s highest award for agriculture and rural development. Catacutan, who specializes in policy and institutional research on integrated natural resources management, aimed to enhance ICRAF’s Vietnam Country Program as a senior social scientist and country representative for the center in Vietnam, including by facilitating policy dialogues on agroforestry, climate change, disaster prevention, sustainable forestry development, ecosystem conservation and payments for environmental services.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: N. Sujana/CIFOR; O. Girard/CIFOR; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; M. del Aguila Guerrero/CIFOR; International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; Y. Guterrez/CIFOR; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; U. Ifansasti/CIFOR; R. Finlayson/ICRAF; D. Sheil/CIFOR; P. Shepherd/CIFOR; N. Sujana/CIFOR; Pham Duc Thanh/ICRAF.

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Publications

Human diets drive range expansion of megafauna-dispersed fruit species

Corporate commitments to zero deforestation: An evaluation of externality problems and implementation gaps

A business case: co-investing for ecosystem service provisions and local livelihoods in Rejoso watershed

Trends, drivers of change and possible solutions to address deforestation and loss of forest habitat in the Kenya-Somalia cross-border area

Exploring guiding elements of transformational change in integrated landscape management

Relationships Between Ecosystem Services: Comparing Methods for Assessing Tradeoffs and Synergies

Genetic Diversity Analysis Reveals Genetic Differentiation and Strong Population Structure in Calotropis Plants

Independent data for transparent monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions from the land use sector – What do stakeholders think and need?

Can the production of wild forest foods be sustained in timber concessions?

Profiling Carbon Storage/Stocks of Cocoa Agroforests in the Forest Landscape of Southern Cameroon

Modeling Land Use and Land Cover Changes and Their Effects on Biodiversity in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Evidence-based options for advancing social equity in Indonesian palm oil: Implications for research, policy and advocacy

Institutionalization of REDD+ MRV in Indonesia, Peru, and Tanzania: progress and implications

Fungal diversity notes 709-839: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa with an emphasis on fungi on Rosaceae

Applied Mycology Can Contribute to Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Building upon China’s Matsutake Management Initiatives

Videos

Highlights from the 3rd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit

A technical overview: The role of citizen science in monitoring water towers in Kenya

Opinions and testimonials: The role of citizen science in monitoring water towers in Kenya

Lessons learned from REDD+: progress in 8 countries and the way forward

Developing and applying an approach for the sustainable management of landscapes

Events

Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress 2018
June 25-27, 2018
China National Convention Center, Beijing, China

Blue Carbon Summit
July 17-18, 2018
National Library of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

GLF Landscape Restoration in Africa
August 29-30, 2018
United Nations compound, Nairobi, Kenya

We would like to thank all donors who support this work through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.


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Science and research to halt deforestation (Vol. 2, Issue 3)

Science and research to halt deforestation (Vol. 2, Issue 3)

24 May, 2018

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The CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) participated in February in the “Working across sectors to halt deforestation and increase forest area” conference organized by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. FTA coorganized two sessions with partners including the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO).

The session on the role of science and research showed how science-based innovations have the potential to revolutionize the way forests and landscapes are monitored and managed, thus having the ability to help stop deforestation and sustainably increase forest areas. Read the full article to find out about the panel’s conclusions.

Following that was the Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit in April, at which FTA was a science partner and saw a number of scientists participating. Coming up soon is the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), on the sidelines of which FTA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will hold two consultations. And later on May 11, FTA is supporting a much-anticipated webinar on landscape transformation.

All this shows FTA to be a robust partnership, focused on research for development across a wide range of themes. Read on to learn more about the program’s latest initiatives and results, and please contact us at cgiarforestsandtrees@cgiar.org if you have any questions or comments.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

The power of science to halt deforestation

Science and research can offer significant contributions to halting deforestation and increasing the area of healthy forests around the world in a sustainable manner. With halting and reversing deforestation seen as key to achieving the SDGs and the objectives of the Paris agreement on climate change, a recent conference, in which FTA participated, discussed ways of meeting these targets in the coming years with various actors and stakeholders.

News

Agroforestry sites in Vietnam provide lessons for farmland in Bhutan and Nepal

The steep upland farming areas of Bhutan, Nepal and Vietnam share similar challenges in establishing sustainable agricultural practices that improve livelihoods and the environment. To share knowledge and experience from the steeply sloping landscapes of Northwest Vietnam, government officers from Bhutan and Nepal traveled to the country to explore an array of well-developed agroforestry systems, demonstration sites, plantations and nurseries.

Greater inclusion of women is needed to optimally intensify cocoa value chains

The valley of the rivers Apurimac, Ene and Montaro (VRAEM), a region of Peru which produces approximately 70 percent of the country’s illicit coca, is now also of importance to cocoa production as governmental agencies, cocoa buyers and development programs have been seeking to help expand and intensify cocoa production. Smallholders who had abandoned their farms after many years of conflict have now returned and are seeking alternatives to cocoa production.

New children’s book teaches the sustainable traditions of West Timorese honey hunters

This new book about honey harvesting in West Timor, Indonesia, contributes to increasing benefits from small-scale forestry management practices that use forests to support livelihoods while sustainably managing landscapes. The book shows the Olin-Fobia community’s annual tradition of harvesting wild honey from the nearby Mount Mutis Nature Reserve.

Study examines bamboo value chains to support industry growth

Despite a significant contribution to the economy, the bamboo industry in Indonesia remains underdeveloped. In terms of policy, bamboo is also often overlooked, with timber receiving much more attention. More assistance could help to support the industry, which is currently seen as underdeveloped and missing out on opportunities according to this article.

Local wood businesses find better global opportunities with sustainability certification

The economy of Jepara, Indonesia – almost completely dedicated to wood products – has experienced booms and busts over the decades. The 1998 Asian financial crisis actually opened up its export market, but 2008’s global economic collapse meant declines in exports and a return to reliance on local buyers. Supporting the use of certified and legal wood and improved supply chains is now benefitting the town’s many small- and medium-scale enterprises.

Silviculture techniques help farmers improve income and develop more productive agricultural systems

Planting timber in agricultural systems is a common practice in Indonesia. Farmers often cultivate timber together with other crops to diversify, increase and stabilize their income. Timber acts as a savings bank, to be harvested when funds are needed. Appropriate silvicultural techniques that ensure the best growth of timber need to be promoted to farmers, according to experts.

What does restoring the world’s forests mean for women’s rights?

Around the world, millions of hectares of land are being reforested as part of global efforts to combat climate change, restore ecological integrity and improve human well-being. But it’s not just a matter of planting trees on empty lands. As in any landscape, the areas where restoration efforts are taking place are overlaid with uses, histories and political dynamics – including different rights and responsibilities for men and women.

Halting deforestation is ‘everyone’s fight’

Halting and reversing deforestation are key to achieving the SDGs and the objectives of the Paris agreement on climate change. In particular, Target 15.2 calls for halting deforestation by 2020, while the UN Strategic Plan for Forests adopted in 2017 by the UN General Assembly calls for reversing the loss of forest cover and increasing forest area by 3 percent worldwide by 2030.

Taking stock of ecosystem services in the mountains of southern Asia

Mountain forest ecosystems provide a wide range of benefits, not only to local residents, but to those living downstream: from reducing floods to stabilizing slopes and supporting rich biodiversity. Understanding these contributions is key to sustainably managing mountain forest services — but large-scale assessments are still rare, especially in data-poor regions.

Agroforestry offers pathways to sustainable landscape restoration

Agroforestry landscapes cover 1 billion hectares of land worldwide and make a significant contribution to the overall health of the planet. The introduction of trees to farms and landscapes for multiple productive purposes could play a key role in mitigating the impact of climate change. The practice – which can include scattered trees on farmland, intercropping, home gardens and tree crop systems – is growing increasingly popular worldwide.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: U. Ifansasti/CIFOR; C. Wangmo; T. Blare/ICRAF; N. Sujana/CIFOR; Riyandoko/ICRAF; D. Ramsay/CIFOR; Riyandoko/ICRAF; O. Girard/CIFOR; N. Sujana/CIFOR; N. Sujana/CIFOR; C. Pye-Smith/ICRAF.

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Publications

Decision support tools for forest landscape restoration: Current status and future outlook

Creating an appropriate tenure foundation for REDD+: The record to date and prospects for the future

Missing links in the forest-migration nexus: An analysis of trends, literature and data sources

Strengthening social inclusion within oil palm contract farming in the Brazilian Amazon

Secrets of the Mutis Honey Hunters

Informality, global capital, rural development and the environment: Mukula (rosewood) trade between China and Zambia

Corporate commitments to zero deforestation: An evaluation of externality problems and implementation gaps

Estimating water user demand for certification of forest watershed services

Tree-ring record in Ethiopian church forests reveals successive generation differences in growth rates and disturbance events

Videos

Secrets of the Mutis Honey Hunters

Playing for keeps: How a simple board game could lead to more sustainable oil palm

Carving a niche in the global market: The woodworkers of Jepara

Restoring landscapes, respecting rights

The returnee: Inside the lives of migrant workers from Nepal

Left behind in Nepal: Shanti’s story

Unpacking migration and gender in Nepal

Events

FAO/FTA Consultations during SBSTA 48
May 2, 2018
Bonn, Germany

Landscape transformation: what does power have to do with it?
May 11, 2018
Online webinar

Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Investment Case
May 30, 2018
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Washington, DC, United States of America

We would like to thank all donors who support this work through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.


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Transforming urban and rural women’s lives (Vol. 2, Issue 2)

Transforming urban and rural women’s lives (Vol. 2, Issue 2)

02 March, 2018

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Welcome to the March edition of the FTA newsletter series. This month, in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD), we put a strong focus on FTA’s gender research and gender integration work. The theme of IWD, “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”, foregrounds the many actors who mobilize diverse strategies to catalyze change for gender equality.

FTA’s research aims at enabling transformative change to enhance the wellbeing of women as well as men, young and old, who inhabit and manage forest and agroforest landscapes. This requires a focus on gender as a research area of its own, as well as mainstreaming gender throughout FTA’s research portfolio.

Social transformation requires the respective roles and contributions of different societal actors to be properly understood, recognized and rewarded. FTA scientists and partners use a range of methods to inform, and raise awareness of, decision makers at national and international scales on the perspectives that local women and men express throughout the research process.

Rural women, younger generations, and civil society more broadly can be change makers. They need to be supported, through capacity building and financial support, to engage with one another and other actors, and to make themselves heard and understood. We all — researchers, governments, and private sector actors included — have an active role to play in supporting transformative change in women’s lives.

Read on to see how FTA’s research on gender equality and social inclusion contributes to this goal.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director, and Marlène Elias, FTA Gender Research Coordinator

Thoughts on gender

Woman on a mission: Pushing for rights and a seat at the decision-making table

To mark International Women’s Day, FTA Gender Research Coordinator Marlène Elias sat down with Cécile Ndjebet, president of the African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests (REFACOF), to discuss the network’s successes and challenges in securing women’s tenure rights to land and forests, and the role of FTA research in supporting transformative change for its members, their communities, and their environments.

News

FTA launches new webpage on gender equality and social inclusion

The forestry and agroforestry sector has much to contribute to addressing inequalities between women and men, and empowering disadvantaged women and men in ways that contribute to sustainable rural landscapes. FTA recently launched a new webpage summing up how it embeds gender research within each of its five research areas. The page also features a learning module comprising information, case studies and resources on key areas of FTA’s gender research for students, academics, practitioners, policy makers and others who work on natural resource management, gender, and the gender-agro/forest nexus.

Gender integration and gender-responsive research

A new compilation of work showcases knowledge products and engagement activities carried out by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) as part of FTA, highlighting key achievements thanks to the support of UK aid’s Knowledge for Forestry (Knowfor) program. The work furthers gender integration and gender-responsive research by deepening conceptual and methodological capabilities to undertake nuanced and relevant gender analyses, and by synthesizing and disseminating current gender research.

Women improve food security through land-restoration technology in Kenya

Amid many challenges, women in Kenya are taking control of their farms, with impressive results – using a farming technique that is helping to alleviate food shortages. Following a previous article on the topic, women farmers have achieved stark differences in yields through simple planting basins, a water-conservation technology, with preliminary results showing that the size of the basins and their combination with other practices, such as applying manure and mulching, determine their impact on maize production under different conditions.

REDD+ findings from Tanzania, Indonesia and Peru show gender divide

Men and women differ in their preferences when it comes to REDD+ benefits, with men preferring cash incentives and women leaning toward non-cash benefits, according to a team of researchers that conducted in-depth intra-household interviews in Tanzania, Indonesia and Peru as part of a larger project on REDD+ and tenure. The researchers also found a correlation between increased women’s participation and more equitable distribution of benefits.

Costs and benefits of challenging the patriarchy for women charcoal producers in Zambia

Women’s involvement in the traditionally male-dominated charcoal industry is increasing across Zambia, from packaging charcoal to molding kilns, and even felling and cutting trees. The increased involvement of women is attributed to heightened demand as well as a perceived increase in poverty in rural areas, with many women viewing charcoal production as a viable business opportunity with low entry barriers.

ACM levels the playing field for women and men in forest-adjacent communities

Aimed at enhancing women’s participation as well as identifying how negotiation and facilitation can strengthen women’s tenure, a gender-equity approach known as Adaptive Collaborative Management (ACM) is showing better outcomes not only for women but also for forest resources. CIFOR principal scientist Esther Mwangi outlined the approach in a recent webinar organized by the CGIAR Collaborative Platform for Gender Research.

Women left on sidelines of decisions about forest management

Women in forest-dwelling communities in Latin America use a wide array of products from their farmland and forests in their daily tasks, but when it comes to tenure rights to those forests or participation in decisions about their management, women are often left on the sidelines. That leaves the women — especially rural and indigenous women — particularly vulnerable, according to studies from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua and Mexico, which formed part of a recent Special Issue of the Women’s Studies International Forum.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Thoughts on gender and news photos, from top, by: Marlene Elias; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; A. Mamo/ICRAF; N. Mtimgwa/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; J. Baptist Wandera/CIFOR; J. Carlos Huayllapuma/CIFOR.

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Recent publications

Special Section on Latin American women’s farm land and communal forests

Forest tenure reform implementation in Uganda: Current challenges and future opportunities

Beyond timber: balancing demands for tree resources between concessionaires and villagers

Genetic conservation in Parkia biglobosa (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) – what do we know?

The importance of species selection and seed sourcing in forest restoration for enhancing adaptive potential to climate change

Approaches and tools for assessing mountain forest ecosystem services

Wealth and the distribution of benefits from tropical forests: Implications for REDD+

Videos

Drone technology for science

Generating science and solutions

Creating a movement on sustainable landscapes

Mapping traditional forests in Maluku, Indonesia

Sustainable symbols: ‘Sasi’ taboos in Maluku, Indonesia

Changing times: Living off the forest in Maluku, Indonesia

Events

World Water Forum
March 18, 2018

Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center, Brasília, Brazil

Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS) 2018
April 23, 2018

Alana Yogyakarta Hotel and Convention Center, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

We would like to thank all donors who support this work through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.


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Looking back at a year of achievements (Vol. 2, Issue 1)

Looking back at a year of achievements (Vol. 2, Issue 1)

05 February, 2018

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I’m pleased to welcome you to the first CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) newsletter for 2018, featuring a review of the program’s most-read pieces from last year, which highlights a bumper crop of research and engagement with stakeholders.

Of the varied scientific and development work carried out in 2017, much was covered in blog articles and program documents made available on FTA’s website. Gender, agroforestry and “rainfall recycling” were strong points of interest; related themes are covered in the recent blogs and publications below, along with work on landscapes, orphan crops and restoration.

FTA worked closely with a number of partners throughout the year – seen, for instance, through strong collaboration at various global events with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF).

Another achievement of 2017, fundamental to FTA’s research in the years to come, was the positive evaluation of the program’s livelihood systems theme from the CGIAR Independent Science and Partnership Council (ISPC), which stated that the proposed research was of very high quality with “a clear strategy for impact”, as outlined in this article. The ISPC praised the “research-in-development” approach of the flagship, which “if implemented well, can set an example for other CGIAR Research Programs.”

These achievements set the scene for a productive year ahead, the second of Phase 2, with a promise of strengthened and impactful research. Let’s make it happen!

Please send your thoughts and feedback to cgiarforestsandtrees@cgiar.org.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

FTA in 2017: A bumper crop of research, articles and presentations

During the first year of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry’s (FTA) Phase 2, which runs from 2017 to 2022, the program strengthened its global presence by participating in international events, continuing to produce extensive research publications, and making new efforts to disseminate its work. Find out which blog articles, research publications, presentations and program documents were most-read on the FTA website throughout last year.

News

FTA’s research domain on livelihood systems receives strong rating

FTA’s livelihood systems research theme, known as Flagship 2, has received the highest possible rating of “strong” from the CGIAR Independent Science and Partnership Council (ISPC), in an important outcome for the collective work of all FTA scientists involved in reformulating the program’s Phase 2 Proposal. The flagship develops and promotes innovations in a range of tree-based systems in terms of management, markets and policies, to reduce poverty, increase food and nutrition security, protect the environment, enhance natural capital and strengthen people’s capacity to adapt to climate change.

Picks and spades can triple farmers’ yields in Kenyan drylands

A simple farming technique is proving effective in Kenya, where severe land degradation coupled with drastic changes in climate has meant that many people frequently face food shortages. Dramatic differences in yields have been achieved through simple planting basins, a water-conservation technology. Also known as zai pits by the Western African farmers who innovated them, the planting basins are now being modified and tested, not just across villages, but in several countries across the continent.

FTA and IUFRO highlight cooperation at Global Landscapes Forum

FTA, the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative (SIANI) hosted a Discussion Forum titled Rainfall Recycling as a Landscape Function: Connecting SDGs 6, 13 and 15 at the recent Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), which shed light on the role of forests and trees in the climate debate, building on a scientific review paper about the relationship between forests and water, and ahead of globally relevant assessments expected later this year.

FTA scientists feature in innovative series of talks on landscapes

Landscapes Talks, which piqued the interest of audiences at the recent GLF in Bonn, Germany, aim to be a “space for leading academics and scientists to provide short talks on current landscape activities”. FTA scientists appeared multiple times during the series of engaging talks, making for powerful statements and diverse insights into the program’s research, covering topics such as integrated landscape approaches, peatlands, restoration opportunities and new perspectives on landscapes and water.

Defining critical issues in forest ecosystem services in Bhutan

As communities move to restore mountainous forest landscapes in Bhutan, boosting essential ecosystem services and protecting from disaster risk, more research is needed to determine the effects on national development, as defined by the country’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) index. A new paper looks at the connections between forests and GNH, which serves as a yardstick for legislature and ensures a balance between the four pillars of environmental conservation, cultural preservation, equitable socioeconomic development and good governance.

Good investments in agriculture and forestry can benefit smallholders and landscapes

Tropenbos International (TBI), FTA and partners held a well-attended panel discussion titled “Inclusive Finance and Business Models – Actions for Upscaling” at the recent GLF, to explore the idea that companies are increasingly being seen as key partners in scaling-up efforts to achieve sustainable landscapes. Moving away from a “do no harm” mindset, the discussion allowed panelists to share ideas about what a “do-good” approach means in practice, and how it can be scaled up.

Orphan crops for improving diets

At present, orphan crops – neglected and underutilized crops – are not extensively researched, despite their potential for realizing economic and dietary benefits for the people who cultivate and consume them, as well as bringing environmental gains to the landscapes where they are grown. Two projects hosted by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi are working to improve these crops and promote their utilization.

How are China, Nepal and Ethiopia restoring forest landscapes?

A study included in a special issue of International Forestry Review on forest landscape restoration (FLR), which was launched on the sidelines of the GLF, examined how the devolution of access and management rights to local communities provided incentives for them to invest in restoration activities. Turning to successful FLR programs in China, Nepal and Ethiopia to identify lessons that could be applied elsewhere, the research focused on people managing forests in mountainous and hilly areas.

Climate change atlas presents suitability maps for agroforestry species in Central America

ICRAF, in collaboration with Bioversity International and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), recently published an atlas titled Suitability of key Central American agroforestry species under future climates, which presented current and future suitability maps for 54 species that are commonly used as shade in agroforestry systems in Central America. The atlas addresses knowledge gaps by providing detailed suitability maps for each species.

Why gender matters for restoration

A recent dialogue on forest landscape restoration (FLR) and gender equality in Nairobi, the second in a series of events on the topic hosted by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), together with FTA and partners, delved into experiences from East Africa with an aim to create integrated solutions. Participants looked at examples from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania, along with the benefits of grounding gender equality in FLR — and the risks of not doing so.

Eighteen institutions sign up to Tropical managed Forests Observatory

The Tropical managed Forests Observatory (TmFO) was recently formalized by a collaboration agreement signed by 18 institutions, including FTA’s partner institution Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD). The unique network will now be able to continue monitoring the world’s logged tropical forests and drafting recommendations for sustainable silviculture – a crucial challenge in light of biodiversity erosion and climate change. The network is expected to enjoy greater visibility and to develop more projects to ensure its sustainability.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: N. Palmer/CIAT/CIFOR; A. Mamo/ICRAF; A. Mamo/ICRAF; P. Valbuena/GLF; GLF video; C. Shekhar Karki/CIFOR; P. Valbuena/GLF; ICRAF; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; ICRAF; TmFO.

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Publications

Bridging funding gaps for climate and sustainable development: Pitfalls, progress and potential

MRV for REDD+ in Mexico: The political process of a technical system

Review of the CFC/ICCO/Bioversity project on cacao germplasm evaluation (1998-2010)

Gender matters in Forest Landscape Restoration: A framework for design and evaluation

Forest and landscape restoration severely constrained by a lack of attention to the quantity and quality of tree seed: Insights from a global survey

Forest Landscape Restoration in Hilly and Mountainous Regions: Special Issue

Entry points for enabling gender equality in agricultural and environmental innovation

Upgrading Tanzania’s artisanal and small-scale mining through investor partnerships: Opportunities and challenges

Suitability of key Central American agroforestry species under future climates: an atlas

Forest ecosystem services and the pillars of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness

Tropical forest-transition landscapes: a portfolio for studying people, tree crops and agro-ecological change in context

Co-investment in ecosystem services: global lessons from payment and incentive schemes

Analysis of gender research on forest, tree and agroforestry value chains in Latin America

Bridging molecular genetics and participatory research

Trait-based approaches for guiding the restoration of degraded agricultural landscapes in East Africa

Bridging funding gaps for climate and sustainable development: Pitfalls, progress and potential of private finance

Videos

Agroforestry in landscape restoration for livelihoods, climate and ecosystem services

Enhancing tenure security and gender equality in the context of forest landscape restoration

‘Rainfall recycling’ as a landscape function: Connecting SDGs 6, 13 and 15

Events

Working Across Sectors to Halt Deforestation and Increase Forest Area – from Aspiration to Action
February 20-22, 2018
FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy

Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS) 2018
April 23-25, 2018
Alana Yogyakarta Hotel and Convention Center, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

We would like to thank all donors who support this work through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.


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Focus on landscapes (Vol. 1, Issue 7)

Focus on landscapes (Vol. 1, Issue 7)

08 January, 2018

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Landscapes are a key overarching focus of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA). The program defines a landscape as a spatial unit where economic activities, natural resources, ecosystem services and their economic and social uses can be considered together.

FTA’s research aims to enable actors to unlock the potential and maximize the benefits that forests, as well as trees in landscapes and agricultural systems, can bring to production systems, securing people’s livelihoods, resilience and food security, as well as promoting the equitable distribution of benefits. This requires confronting multiple objectives and expectations from actors and sectors, and agreeing on priorities.

It is at the landscape level that key interactions among biophysical, socioeconomic and institutional factors occur and can be observed, and that synergies between multiple objectives can be leveraged and tradeoffs can be addressed. The program upholds the landscape approach throughout its work, which is defined in one of FTA’s new brochures.

The stories in this final newsletter for 2017 highlight FTA’s recent articles and publications, many of which relate to landscapes, from landscape restoration to sustainable landscape management and men and women in rural landscapes. In this light, FTA will also be participating in the Global Landscapes Forum, as outlined below.

FTA will strengthen its work on landscapes in the year to come, and will inscribe the issue of landscape governance in its key priorities for 2018 and beyond.

A very good end of the year to all.

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director

Special feature

FTA at GLF: From rainfall recycling to landscape restoration

FTA is anticipating productive involvement in the upcoming GLF Bonn from Dec. 19-20. From Discussion Forums – including ‘Rainfall Recycling’ as a Landscape Function: Connecting SDGs 6, 13 and 15 – to pavilions and Landscape Talks, FTA scientists will be represented across the event. Dubbed the world’s largest gathering on sustainability issues, the GLF will welcome more than 45 different organizations, with FTA among them. The GLF’s five key themes – food and livelihoods, finance, rights, restoration, and measuring progress – are set to shape the event. Please join us at the World Conference Center in Bonn, Germany, or sign up to attend the GLF online and watch the livestream of the Discussion Forum on Dec. 19 at 2pm CET.

News

Restoring forest landscapes: A question of community rights

About 30 percent of the earth’s surface is covered by forests, and around 1.6 billion people depend on them for significant contributions to their environments and livelihoods. Yet, 12 million hectares of intact forests are lost in the tropics every year, either through permanent destruction or degradation. Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) is one of the newer initiatives to be put forward to help solve the problem. This article explains how the goal of FLR is to restore ecological integrity to deforested and degraded landscapes, with respect to the link between healthy forests and human wellbeing.

Community concessions bring newfound hope for forest conservation and socioeconomic development

There is increasing evidence that the devolution of rights to forest communities leads to a decrease in deforestation rates, better protection of biodiversity, and significant livelihood benefits of community members, especially if linked to the development of community forest enterprises. This story looks at large-scale socioeconomic surveys being carried out in the Petén region of Guatemala, where 25-year forest concessions were granted to the communities in the late 1990s.

Ebola outbreaks linked to forest loss, new study finds

Scientists have uncovered a vital piece of the Ebola puzzle — when and where outbreaks can occur. A team of practitioners, landscape ecologists and modelers joined forces to investigate patterns of forest loss in areas where Ebola disease outbreaks had been recorded, and other sites where no outbreaks had occurred. The question to be answered was whether there were substantial differences in the rates and extent of deforestation in these two distinct types of sites. The findings of the work provided strong evidence of an association between Ebola outbreak locations and deforestation.

Forest restoration needs to become climate-smart

What can countries do to reduce the rates of failure and help make forest and landscape restoration climate-smart? All forest and landscape restoration projects require access to land and seed, but the quality, availability of, and access to tree seed has received little attention in high-level policy and planning. What seedlings are, where they come from, how they are selected, produced and delivered and by whom are neither trivial nor merely technical issues for forest and landscape restoration to be effective and provide expected benefits, including for the climate.

Global food solutions from the Asia-Pacific

Creating a more sustainable global food system demands innovation in food technologies, and collaboration at the highest levels of government. The recent EAT Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia aimed to promote a more holistic approach to food, health and sustainability, filling knowledge gaps, pushing for integrated food policies and finding win-win solutions. This article looks at how the event covered progress on the latest food research, as well as ideas for how to transform food systems in Indonesia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

New map helps track palm-oil supply chains in Borneo

The latest version of the Atlas of Deforestation and Industrial Plantations in Borneo allows users to verify the location and ownership of 467 palm-oil mills in Borneo. It includes a new tool to provide verified information on the location of palm-oil mills, and the deforested area within a 10-kilometer radius, as detected annually by satellites. The new tool can be used together with an earlier tool to track the footprint of palm-oil growers on forests – allowing users to better understand the impact of industrial palm-oil developments on tropical rainforests.

Agroforestry to meet the Paris Agreement

National delegates at the COP23 climate change conference recently agreed on a framework for addressing agriculture’s impact on climate. The framework includes assessing soil health, soil carbon and water management, nutrient use and manure management, and the impact of climate change on socioeconomics and food security. Agriculture was also a key topic. One session involving ICRAF highlighted Indonesia’s Tropical Landscape Finance Facility, which is using public funding to unlock private finance in renewable energy and sustainable landscape management – with a long-term goal to reduce deforestation and restore degraded land.

‘Grain for green’: How China is swapping farmland for forest

Since 1999, China has restored forest landscapes across more than 28 million hectares of farmland and land classified as barren or degraded. A major driver of China’s success has been the ‘Conversion of Cropland to Forest Program’ (CCFP), also known as ‘Grain for Green’. The program pays farmers to plant trees on their land and provides degraded land to rural families to restore. The country has implemented strategies to get trees back into landscapes, including taking the approach of Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR), which aims to improve ecological functions and human wellbeing.

Lack of knowledge may impede economic potential

Some farmers in Java and Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, lack information on teak cultivation and non-timber forest products, leaving them with inadequate skills to improve their livelihoods.A recent study found that the available forestry extension (agricultural advice) services are limited owing to insufficient human resources, learning material and budget. The project aims to improve farmers’ livelihoods through better landscape-scale management, with particular attention on maximizing the adoption of enhanced practices and value chains for timber and non-timber forest products.

Are ‘no deforestation’ commitments working?

In 2014, many of the world’s major companies buying, trading or producing palm oil and pulp and paper made a joint commitment to stop clearing natural forests by 2020. As the deadline draws near, this article examines how these ‘no deforestation’ commitments are progressing, and what effect are they having on forests. Scientists are using LANDSAT satellite data to observe annual changes in forest area and annual expansion of industrial plantations and assess the impact of corporate commitments to stop deforestation on the island of Borneo.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: C. Shekhar Karki/CIFOR; O. Girard/CIFOR; D. Stoian/Bioversity International; P. Shepherd/CIFOR; C. Alcazar Caisedo/Bioversity International; J. Carlos Huayllapuma/CIFOR; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; ICRAF; N. Hogarth/CIFOR; P. Sumardamto/ICRAF; I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR.

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Publications

Development, engagement, higher education and research combine for improved natural resource management

Cocoa agroforestry is less resilient to sub-optimal and extreme climate than cocoa in full sun

Towards responsible and inclusive financing of the palm oil sector

Mechanisms mediating the contribution of ecosystem services to human well-being and resilience

Fruit tree genetic diversity in Central Asia: a spatial threat analysis

Integrated natural resource management as pathway to poverty reduction: Innovating practices, institutions and policies

How Agroforestry Propels Achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions

Small flame but no fire: Wood fuel in the (Intended) Nationally Determined Contributions of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Social Forestry – why and for whom? A comparison of policies in Vietnam and Indonesia

Farm-forestry in the Peruvian Amazon and the feasibility of its regulation through forest policy reform

Gender matters in forest landscape restoration

FTA documents

Livelihood systems

Landscape dynamics, productivity and resilience

Videos

Fire and haze: Better business practices

Fire and haze: Community action

Women woodworkers – the Jepara story

Gender equality and social inclusion in forestry and agroforestry

Events

Global Landscapes Forum: Bonn
December 19 – 20
Bonn, Germany

We would like to thank all donors who support this work through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.


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Focus on gender research and mainstreaming (Vol. 1, Issue 6)

Focus on gender research and mainstreaming (Vol. 1, Issue 6)

07 December, 2017

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FTA communications

Welcome to the November edition of the FTA newsletter series, highlighting FTA’s gender research and gender integration work.

FTA’s key research for development objectives — addressing food insecurity, enhancing nutrition, tackling climate change and ensuring sustainable development — cannot be solved without paying close attention to gender equality and social inclusion, which is also an objective in itself.

This is why FTA takes care to mainstream gender throughout its research portfolio. Gender mainstreaming aims at the integration of gender-related concerns and issues into the various areas of FTA research, in order to improve the relevance and accuracy of problem statements, and provide more gender-equitable, inclusive and appropriate solutions.

FTA prioritizes gender research in several areas of work in which gender equality and social inclusion are known to be key challenges, key barriers to success or key to the sustainability of impacts.

Critical areas for gender mainstreaming include land restoration, as demonstrated in a recent COP23 side event — see “Thoughts on gender” below — and in a policy dialogue on gender and forest landscape restoration on Nov. 30 in Kenya. Other areas are climate-smart agriculture, which was also demonstrated at a COP23 side event, as well as land-use change and migration, on which FTA will co-organize a public event in Nepal on Dec. 16.

This newsletter provides some of the latest findings that exemplify gender integration in key areas of FTA’s work, including value chains and investments, and links to some recent FTA publications on gender works in tenure, REDD+ and forest management issues.

FTA will be present at this year’s Global Landscapes Forum in Bonn, as outlined below. Check out whether we stick to this “philosophy” of work and gender mainstreaming at the event!

Vincent Gitz, FTA Director, and Marlène Elias, FTA Gender Research Coordinator

FTA at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF)

FTA will organize and participate in discussion forums including:

Join FTA at the GLF in Bonn, Germany, on Dec. 19-20: register here.

Thoughts on gender

Recognizing gender bias, restoring forests

At the session “Gender equality, rights and ancestral knowledge in the context of forest landscape restoration” on the sidelines of COP23, for which FTA was among the organizers, a diverse set of panelists stood at a frontier – bringing gender equality and women’s rights to the forest landscape restoration (FLR) conversation. Amid varied international commitments to restoring forests and landscapes, gender considerations must be incorporated from the start to ensure that inequalities are not perpetuated. The speakers at the session, including FTA scientist Anne Larson who presented the results of a series of studies of women and men’s experiences of REDD+, covered the importance of community forests for women’s rights, the need for active and informed female participation in decision-making and the need to confront unseen biases.

News

Filling gaps in the narratives of Tanzanian farmers

To go beyond socially appropriate responses and understand what is really going on in their project sites in Tanzania, researchers created a medium for participants to narrate the stories behind the data. The methodology aimed to understand the role of gender and social inclusion in the daily lives of male and female sugarcane, rice and tea outgrowers. Among the many conclusions was that women require improved access to land, greater inclusion in different roles across value chains, and enhanced representation in organizations in order to increase livelihood choices.

Diverse and invisible: Understanding rural young people

Rural young people are sometimes poorly understood in research compared to more ‘visible’ groups. This is of concern to research partnerships such as CGIAR because, although young people play critical roles in rural households and environmental transformations, their interests are often inadequately addressed in programs and policies. A recent webinar on rural youth and livelihood change, jointly organized by the CGIAR Collaborative Platform for Gender Research and FTA, invited four key thinkers and practitioners to discuss the challenges and opportunities for young people in agriculture, natural resource management and forestry; the role of policy and institutions such as CGIAR in addressing young people’s challenges in access to education, employment and other needs; and new areas of research and field methods needed for working with rural young people.

Gender Research Fellowship Program’s second round kicks off in Kenya

This program strengthens the capacity of researchers and partners working within FTA to conduct research that can support gender equality and other desired project outcomes, such as the sustainable management and conservation of trees and their genetic resources. It aims to strengthen the knowledge base regarding gender and the sustainable management and delivery of tree genetic resources, build the skills of FTA staff and partners in gender analysis and methodologies that support gender-transformative research, and develop a community of practice around engaged gender research. Building on a successful first phase, the fellowship program recently began its second round, working toward mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion into FTA’s research activities and projects.

Gender-responsive methodology for value chain development

As smallholder farmers become increasingly integrated into value chains, how can the benefits of participation accrue equitably to women and men? A workshop held by FTA, Bioversity International and ICRAF during TropenTag 2017 focused on insights from the testing of 5Capitals-Gender, a gender-responsive methodology building on the 5Capitals toolkit for assessing the poverty impacts of value chain development.

Visualizing gender in Tanzanian tea and sugarcane production

Including the voices of both male and female farmers in the larger decision-making process at a national level sounds logical, but how can it be done in practice? CIFOR and FTA researchers used documentary filming and community screening with tea and sugarcane outgrower communities in Tanzania as an essential part of the research process, to give male and female farmers a voice.

Gender and forestry gain attention

A new reader launched on Sept. 21 during the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress brings together 30 years of scholarship on a topic that is gaining attention: gender and forestry. The Earthscan Reader on Gender and Forests provides an accessible collection of theory, analysis, methodology and case studies, defining the position of gender and forestry in the social sciences, and laying out the ongoing debates in the field. In this article, two of the book’s authors explain why and for whom it is needed.

Including gender perspectives in climate change policies

A study by ICRAF demonstrated that women are playing a leading role in coping with and adapting to climate change in the mountainous rural areas of China’s Yunnan province, where disruptions in weather patterns and increasingly numerous extreme events are impacting agricultural livelihoods. This blog post summarizes the study’s recommendations for new climate change policies.

From savannah to forest: Women’s roles in land restoration in Sumba

Restoring the functions of a landscape must involve all members of a community who live and work in it and take into account the varying details of the social order. This is why the unique knowledge of the women of East Sumba, Indonesia, is being recognized in the restoration of their deforested land.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: A. Fassio/CIFOR; Nkumi Mtingwa/CIFOR; J. Nkadaani/CIFOR; C. Magaju/ICRAF; Shrinivas Hegde; Carol J. Pierce Colfer/CIFOR; M. Edliadi/CIFOR; ICRAF; R. Finlayson/ICRAF.

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Independent Steering
Committee
Call for applications

Recent gender publications

Tenure

Securing tenure rights to communal forests in Masindi district, Uganda: Lessons from Participatory Prospective Analysis (PPA)

Land tenure and forest rights of rural and indigenous women in Latin America: Empirical evidence

Women’s rights to land and communal forest tenure: A way forward for research and policy agenda in Latin America

REDD+

Rights abuse allegations in the context of REDD+ readiness and implementation

Forest management

Challenges for women’s participation in communal forests: Experience from Nicaragua’s indigenous territories

Gender equity and social inclusion in joint forest management: Lessons from two Indian states

Videos

Left behind in Nepal: Sita’s story

Nutrition and trees in sub-Saharan Africa: Jennifer’s secret

Nutrition and Trees in sub-Saharan Africa: From forest to table

Events

Policy Dialogue on Forest Landscape Restoration and Gender Equality

Nov. 30, 2017
Nairobi, Kenya

This workshop will bring together a wide range of stakeholders working on both forest landscape restoration and the promotion of gender equality and women’s rights to learn about gender responsive forest restoration.

What does migration mean on the home front? Implications for land and social change

Dec. 16, 2017
Kathmandu, Nepal

This public event will feature short talks based on research on migration and land use change by numerous speakers, to promote greater dialogue and discussion on migration and land use change in Nepal.

Global Landscapes Forum

Dec. 19-20, 2017
Bonn, Germany

FTA will participate in discussion forums, pavilions and more.

We would like to thank all donors who support this work through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.


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Focus on knowledge sharing (Vol. 1, Issue 5)

Focus on knowledge sharing (Vol. 1, Issue 5)

16 October, 2017

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FTA communications

Welcome to this October newsletter with a focus on knowledge sharing.

For FTA, a research for development (R4D) program, knowledge sharing and engagement are fundamental to effectiveness and impact. Knowledge sharing starts with better explaining the work we do, as well as how, with whom and for what.

That is why we’ve created, with FTA’s scientists, a set of brochures explaining the work done across the program. Please take a look at our new webpage where we have already published six brochures and will release two more by year end.

Knowledge sharing means engaging with key partner institutions to bridge the worlds of research and development. FTA recently participated in the historic IUFRO 125^th Anniversary Congress, including cohosting a subplenary session on research priorities.

It also means engaging with policy and multistakeholder platforms. At the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) taking place this week at FAO headquarters in Rome, FTA is coorganizing two side events: one on feminism, forests and food security and one on sustainable forestry for food security and nutrition, looking at research and partners toward a joint action agenda, where we will discuss how to move forward on the implementation of the HLPE report and CFS policy recommendations. Click here to see the CFS agenda.

Please send your thoughts and feedback on this newsletter to cgiarforestsandtrees@cgiar.org.

Special feature

CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) Annual Report 2016

The year 2016, the last year of Phase 1 of the CGIAR Research the last year of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry’s Phase 1, saw significant achievements in output, outcome and impact terms as detailed in this Annual Report. Overall Phase 1 FTA results contributed to placing the program, for its Phase 2, as a potential key provider of knowledge and solutions for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. The many achievements in 2016 offered potential for scaling up and out and showed recognition of FTA’s work by partners.

News

The long and winding road to sustainable palm oil

The polemic around the expansion of oil palm plantations in the tropics is continuing, and increasingly involves consumers concerned with sustainability. At the core of the debate is the matter of hard trade-offs between conservation and development – reconciling this is still the major challenge facing governments and companies. This article looks at finding a way to ensure sustainable palm oil supply chains, in order to sustain economic gains while supporting conservation and climate action.

For secure land rights, indigenous forest communities need more than just titles

Under Peruvian law, a land title gives traditional forest communities rights over land, but resources on that land, such as forests, formally remain the property of the state. In order to use these resources, communities are required to follow additional procedures to obtain permits and authorizations. A recent study has highlighted that while securing a land title may be a key step for forest-dependent communities, it is not sufficient to ensure legal rights and improve livelihoods. This story and video were produced in recognition of UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous People.

Fighting fires with academic narrative

A recent National Policy Dialogue on Laws and Best Practices for Reducing Fire and Haze in Indonesia addressed the hot topic of fire and haze in terms of environmental conservation versus livelihoods. According to scientists, this must be resolved by taking into account the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability, and they hope that relevant research, leading to outputs that create an academic narrative to inform policymakers, will create the possibility of legal changes. This, in turn, could help to alleviate the annual blazes.

Are Brazil nuts the saviors of the Amazon basin?

This new study has assessed Brazil nut exploitation from a socioecological perspective. Fruits containing the weighty, nutritious nuts are collected from the forest floor by forest-based harvesters, who maintain customary rights to the resource in many areas. While this is seen as a relatively sustainable system, it is under threat. If done well, integrated management of multiple forest uses, such as low-intensity timber harvest and ecotourism, combined with Brazil nut harvesting, could prove both profitable and sustainable.

Guiding the conservation of food tree species in Burkina Faso with a threat-mapping approach

Agroforestry parklands are among the most widespread traditional land-use systems in sub-Saharan Africa, where scattered individual trees occur on cultivated fields. Over recent decades, agroforestry parklands in Burkina Faso have come under increasing demographic and climatic pressures, threatening indigenous tree species that contribute to rural households’ income and nutrition. Following a paper that analyzed 16 important food tree species in Burkina Faso and six key threats to them, this story looks at how this approach can help plan for timely, more selective and efficient conservation actions.

Getting down to business: Seminar promotes shift toward inclusive investment

In a precursor to its ongoing and future work as part of FTA, Tropenbos International recently held a workshop on inclusive investment and business models for improved land governance and livelihoods in the Netherlands. Part of a broader series of annual seminars on sustainable forest management in the tropics, the seminar not only raised awareness on the importance of moving from a do-no-harm to a do-good approach in investing in smallholder land management, but also provided evidence of the feasibility and scaling-up opportunities from such an approach.

What are the priorities for relevant, legitimate and effective forest and tree research? Lessons from the IUFRO congress

Forests and trees are central to many of the challenges of our time. This raises new questions every day, as showcased at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) 125^thAnniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany, where more than 40 scientists affiliated with FTA presented their latest results and findings. The prioritization of issues related to trees and forests is now becoming more difficult and more necessary – what is needed most and where we should start? How should we conduct research in order to best enable impact?

Sharing better, for better research

As a research for development (R4D) program, FTA has invested heavily in knowledge sharing in recent months. Engaging in knowledge sharing fundamentally conditions the program’s effectiveness and impact, both in the policy environment and on the ground. Thus, better sharing leads to better research. Read how FTA’s participation at the International Conference on Research for Sustainable Development in Bern, IUFRO in Freiburg, a food security and nutrition conference in Quebec and CFS44 in Rome is supporting these efforts.

Banner photo by O. Girard/CIFOR. Special feature and news photos, from top, by: I. Cooke Vieira/CIFOR; J. Carlos Huay llapuma/CIFOR; A. Erlangga/CIFOR; M. Simola/CIFOR; H. Gaisberger/Bioversity International; A. Erlangga/CIFOR; © FVA; M. Edliadi/CIFOR.